Kilts has been aggressively courted by Coke directors and met them last week about the chairman and chief executive job. According to reports, more meetings are planned as Coke search for a new leader to take the company forward.
The Gillette chief has apparently impressed Coke directors with his experience of revitalising big consumer brands at Kraft Foods and most recently Gillette.
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal Kilts's is being backed by Warren Buffett, who is the largest shareholder in both Coke and Gillette through his investment vehicle Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Buffett is a former director at Gillette who helped recruit Kilts in 2001.
However, reports suggest that even if Kilts were offered the job there is not guaurantee that he would take it after only two years at Gillette.
Other contenders in the running include Carlos Gutierrez, chairman and CEO at cereal firm Kellogg, although he has apparently told Coke directors that he is not interested; R Kerry Clark, vice chairman of consumer goods giant Proctor & Gamble and Robert Eckert, Mattel's chairman and CEO. Steven Heyer, Coke's president and chief operating officer, is the sole internal candidate.
Coke announced in February that Daft would retire as chairman and chief executive during 2004 and that it would conduct an outside search for his successor, indicating that Heyer may be looked over.
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